Nepal seeks support from India for development of cricket
New Delhi: A 50-member Nepalese youth delegation led by Minister of Youth and Sports Purushottam Poudel has expressed desire for exchange of sportspersons, particularly cricketers. The visiting minister said India can provide training to Nepalese cricketers and also sought support in development of cricket facilities in Nepal, a Sports Ministry release said. Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal assured his counterpart of every possible support from the Indian Government in this regard. The maiden visit of the youth delegation from Nepal, which concluded on Friday, was part of Youth Exchange programme between the two countries. During the week-long stay in India, the Nepalese delegation visited important historical and cultural landmarks of Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, Bangalore and Mysore. During the visit, a cultural programme and a banquet was organized in the honour of Nepalese youth delegation. A meeting of senior officers from both sides led by respective ministers in charge was also held before the cultural programme. During the meeting, Sonowal said that India and Nepal were close neighbours and share a unique relationship of friendship and cooperation, characterized by open borders and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts. The Nepalese youth delegation comprises members various youth organisations in Nepal, young journalists, young businesspersons and sportspersons, besides officials of Government of Nepal. (PTI)
Rajasthan Royals says player was approached for fixing
New Delhi: A Rajasthan Royals cricketer was approached for fixing 2015 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, the team management said on Friday. The Royals reaction comes in after the Indian Express reported on Friday that the Mumbai-based Royals player was approached by his Ranji Trophy teammate “with an offer of money if he followed a pre-decided pattern of play”. The player refused the offer and informed his team management, who in turn reported the matter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU). “Over a month ago, a player from Rajasthan Royals was approached inappropriately by a player (who was not part of the IPL) in connection with the IPL 2015 matches. Maintaining high standards of integrity, the player informed the Rajasthan Royals management of this inappropriate approach,” said Royals chief executive officer (CEO) Raghu Iyer. “In keeping with applicable IPL Regulations, Rajasthan Royals management immediately reported the incident to the ACSU of the BCCI.” Iyer also praised the player for reporting the incident. “Rajasthan Royals commends the player for having reported this incident immediately and for his honesty and uprightness. His dedication to maintain the highest standards of integrity needs to be lauded,” said Iyer. (IANS)
Narine is a class act in T20: Kohli
Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders mystery spinner Sunil Narine on Friday found a fan in India Test captain Virat Kohli, who termed the Caribbean bowler a class act in Twenty20 cricket. Kohli said it’s purely his skill that has given Narine all the success as he has troubled batsmen all over the world. “He is a class act in T20 cricket and that is why even the Mumbai batsmen knew that even if he is bowling slower, it is going to be difficult for the batsmen to pick him up. “All the issues with the bowling action and what not, he has got the skill and that is why he is able to pitch the ball in the right areas and get so many wickets in the IPL. “It is not a thing that his action was the reason why he was bowling well, he has got the skill in his hand. Otherwise you wont be bowling at this level and getting world class batsmen out in the IPL,” he said on Narine. Kohli said Narine was bowling slower but still was difficult to pick. “I saw him bowl. I felt he is bowling slower than what he was bowling before, but even then he was difficult to pick. He has got the skill whatever said and done,” Kohli said. (PTI)
We will ensure a clean IPL: Shukla
New Delhi: Stung by revelations of a player being approached for spot-fixing, IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla on Friday said that stringent measures will be put in place to ensure that the mega-event passes off corruption-free. Talking to PTI, Shukla said the approach made to a Mumbai-based player of Rajasthan Royals is being investigated and all teams have a designated Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) officer with them to deal with such situations. “The anti-corruption and security unit of BCCI is taking this incident as a success of their policy to create awareness among the players. The players have been educated that whenever anybody approaches them with wrong intentions, they should immediately inform the anti-corruption authority,” Shukla said. “In this case also, the player immediately informed the ACSU officer, who took the required action immediately. The matter is now being investigated and all possible steps will be taken to ensure a clean IPL,” he asserted. Refusing to divulge the identity of the player in question, Shukla said no stone will be left unturned to weed out corrupt practices, if any. (PTI)
Ronaldo wins suspension appeal
MADRID: The Spanish league on Friday cancelled a yellow card awarded against Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for diving, ending a threatened one-match suspension, his club said. The Portuguese attacker got the card for diving in the penalty area against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday. TV images later showed that he had been tripped by a defender. Real confirmed in a statement that the Spanish federation’s competitions committee had “cancelled the referee’s yellow card”. Ronaldo avoids a one-match suspension for his fifth yellow card meaning he will be available to play in a key match on Saturday against Eibar. Real are second in the Spanish title race, four points behind leaders Barcelona. Coach Carlo Ancelotti will already be without James Rodriguez and Toni Kross, who are suspended, and the injured Gareth Bale (muscle problem). “Bale won’t be available tomorrow,” Ancelotti told a press conference. “He’s suffering from a sprain and it’s best to wait until Tuesday (when Real face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League). “We must put out the best team possible, and so the decision on Cristiano was normal because the punishment wasn’t right.” He added: “We are giving Eibar the utmost respect as we can’t afford to fail against them.” (AFP)
